The Tyrant's Secret
by Kage no Getsuei
Summary: AU - Based off of Hinako Takanaga's "Akuma no Himitsu". Rated T for now. ;) What freaked Souichi out was the small horn jutting from the side of the man's head, right above and in front of his ear, near his temple. 'What the hell? He really does look like a... a demon.' Souichi barely caught the mumbled words. Green eyes looked down and away. "Pl... Please... H-help..."
1. A New Beginning

A cool breeze blew by, rustling the leaves of the shrubberies and trees near a quaint little wood-panelled house. Exiting from it, a tall man was greeted by a bright early spring day. Sounds of branches creaking from the nearby cherry trees – their light pink flowers in full bloom – and of songbirds singing could be heard on the wind. Another gust brushed silver-blonde bangs over circular wire-frame glasses covering hazel eyes as they squinted in the sunlight.

After a quick scan of his surroundings, Tatsumi Souichi set out on the dirt path, his long strides briskly taking him amongst the cherry and maple trees dotting the landscape. At the end of the trail, the blonde man came upon a small shrine made of cedar and birch with curved dark green roofs. Leaving his shoes at the genkan, he entered the small shrine; his white socked feet making little noise as he threaded through silent halls, making his way from room to room. Souichi made quick work with his morning chores. However, no matter how much work was needed to be done around the shrine, it always took him longer than planned to finish everything to match his high standard. He really was a meticulous man when it came to his work. It didn't help, though, that he was nearly a lost cause when it came to cleaning and house chores. He wasn't exactly suited for this type of work.

Sadly, that couldn't be helped. Ever since his father, Tatsumi Soujin, started leaving to go on his trips, traveling for months and months at a time, Souichi was left to run the place. Ever since he could remember, him, his parents and his two younger siblings had always lived here. From a young age, he was told that his family had been in charge of taking care of this small shrine for countless generations.

Souichi, like his father, and his father before him, was a priest of the shrine hidden at the edge of a very small village. To visit the shrine, one has to climb a descent flight of stairs. At the top, a Shinto gate guards the path leading to the shrine gracefully standing amongst majestic cherry trees, interspersed with gorgeous Japanese maple. Tall oaks stand guard near the outskirts, overlooking the serene landscape. Somewhere to the right, a gentle stream could be heard trickling by. Further, towards the back of the property, the house lies somewhat hidden from view. Nestled to the far left, not too far from the house, is a pool of a natural hot spring. This tiny bit of land is truly a little piece of heaven.

Once his work was done, Souichi slipped his feet back into his shoes, and headed back down the path he came from. Taking a moment for himself, he stared up at the other building once he got close enough. This house was all he had left of his mother. She had left this world when his youngest sibling was really young. And now, he lived here all by himself. Both his little brother, Tomoe, and his little sister, Kanako, had moved away.

His younger brother took to the family 'business' and became a priest himself as soon he was of age. Like their father, though, he enjoyed the thought of traveling since the very beginning, inspired by all sorts of different cultures, and decided to become a kind of traveling priest. He had more or less taken upon himself to discover new places of spirituality, purity and divineness hidden around the world where kamis could be felt and could manifest themselves. But not long into his travels, he found a place to settle down in America, running his own shrine there.

His little sister, however, moved away for a different reason. Seeking for a better education at a larger town outside of the prefecture, she ended up living at Matsuda-san's place whom was a friend of the family's.

Deciding to go in by the back door, Souichi took his time circling the house, admiring the blooming cherry blossoms.

'They really are gorgeous this year.' Letting his gaze roam, the young priest stopped abruptly in his tracks, spotting a lifeless form on the ground.

Lying amongst the bushes, totally beaten up, was a man, or at least what mostly looked like one. He was lying on his stomach, head tilted to his left side, facing towards the house, totally unconscious. Upon first glance, Souichi didn't recognize the man with the mess of black glistening hair hiding part of his face. But considering the shape he was in, that didn't surprise him. The stranger wasn't wearing a shirt, or shoes for that matter. He seemed to be only wearing a pair of pants, and those weren't in the best condition. Sadly, his body wasn't any better. Bruises of all shades and sizes bloomed on nearly every square inch of his visible skin, small cuts and gashes added to gruesome state he was in.

However, he had something that Souichi had never seen on a human before. He literally had a tail which joined with the bottom of his spine. It came out of a strategically placed hole in the stranger's now thoroughly ripped and red-stained pants. The long slim tail was the same colour as the man's skin and the end of it was triangular tipped. It kind of looked like the head of an arrow one would see in cartoons.

'Or a demon's tail.' Souichi had heard and read many depictions of a variety of evil spirits and demons, or akumas. He had also seen many images and drawings of demons in a variety of books throughout the years, and this tail looked very similar to those he'd seen. This one, though, seemed smaller and far less jagged or pointy than those in the books, but there certainly was a resemblance. Also, unlike the images, the tail laid limp in the grass, just as lifeless as its owner. Only the tell-tale sign of the rise and fall of a bruised torso, as well as the sound of ragged breaths told Souichi that the strange looking man was still alive. Or was he more like a creature than a man?

Kneeling down, the long-haired blonde peered closer at the unconscious face, looking past the mop of black hair slicked with sweat. With a start, Souichi jumped back, landing squarely on his ass. He hurriedly shuffled backwards on the ground, until his back met with the trunk of a cherry tree, in order to but some distance between them. His heart-rate had increased dramatically as he stared eyes wide in shock. What surprised him wasn't the bruised black eye or cut lip, disfiguring what might have been a handsome looking face. What freaked him out was the small horn jutting from the side of the man's head, right above and in front of his ear, near his temple. It grew out and towards the front, curving up and back, stopping right above his ear.

'What the hell? He really does look like a... a demon.' After slightly shaking his head in disbelief, he glared back at the limp form, willing the abominations to evaporate in thin air.

'How ridiculous. There is no such thing.' But when the tail or horn peeking out through dark bangs didn't disappear, he had to conclude that the stranger might have some sort of genetic deformity.

'Or maybe it's fake. It could be a prosthetic, like they do in theatre or in movies.' At the same time that thought crossed his mind, the lifeless looking tail started to twitch. Souichi held his breath while he watched it swish a little, from side to side, like a cat's tail, before it went still again.

'... Or I could just be going insane.' When the tail didn't seem like it was going to move again, Souichi got up onto his knees. He stayed there, eyeing the creature-man for a moment. His muscles were held taught, but motionless, as he hesitated, contemplating his next move. Before long, though, curiosity won over and he leaned forward. Shifting his weight onto his left hand, he reached out with the other. He had to touch it; he had to know if they were real. Before his fingers reached the horn, however, the body started to move.

"Nnnn... Huh..." The stranger was gaining some sense of consciousness. Souichi quickly got up on his feet, regaining his composure. He glared down at the other, willing all signs of surprise and uncertainty to disappear from his features, not wanting to show any weakness. Heavy eyelids slowly blinked open. A weak gaze roamed around, analyzing its surroundings. It didn't look like the beaten man knew where his was.

'Maybe he's scanning for any sign of danger... or for somewhere to hide.' The dark-haired stranger gazed up, and their eyes met. Dark green, pained and pleading; those didn't look like the eyes of a demon. Souichi even saw what looked like a hint of fear hidden in them. Now that he had the other's attention, not knowing what to say to this creature looking man, Souichi poured all of his irritation into his voice in order to hide any hint of uncertainty that might be lingering.

"What the _hell_ are you doing trespassing here, on _sacred grounds_?!" The demon-man's features morphed first into confusion, and then regret.

"Do you even know _where_ you are?" A head shake, meaning '_no_'.

"S... S-sorry..." Souichi barely caught the mumbled words. Green eyes looked down and away.

"Pl... Please... H-help..." The stranger's voice was strained and weak before it died off. Closing his eyes, he took a few steadying – though shallow – breaths, as if to muster up the last of his courage. When he looked up once again, meeting the blonde's gaze, his eyes were moist. He seemed on the verge of tears.

"P-pl.. Please..." Souichi's glare faltered. Hazel eyes looked away. Did he really look so merciless and unforgivable that the other had to cry?

'_Shit! _Why does it feel like _I'm_ the evil one?' The priest let out a heavy sigh before kneeling next to the injured man. He made up his mind. Stretching his left hand out towards the horned man, he noticed said man flinch away from the unexpected gesture. A more irritated sounded sigh escaped the blonde's lips.

"Come on. I'll take you inside where you can rest up and get better before continuing on your way." Green eyes shot up to look into hazel ones. They gleamed brilliantly as relief and happiness sunk in, shining through its owner's features.

Unable to stand properly, Souichi had to help the stranger; first onto his feet, and then through the back door into his house, half carrying him along the way. Since he was having some trouble supporting the slightly taller man, the priest had to drop his charge onto the nearest bed, which happened to be his own. A whole house to himself, and his bedroom _had_ to be the closest one to the back door.

Entering his room, Souichi tried to lay down his charge as gently as he could. Leaving him lying on his bed, the blonde hurried to get a bucket of water, cloths and bandages to clean the angry-looking wounds. Having two younger siblings, cleaning minor cuts and scrapes was, in matter of fact, something he could do.

Once he got back, Souichi saw that the stranger was only half-conscious, fighting the drowsiness as best he could; eyelids seeming too heavy to keep open. The mattress creaked under the added weight as he sat next to the injured and beaten body. With steady, gentle hands, the blonde priest swiftly got to work, cleaning and bandaging cut after cut. He started on the horned man's chest, and worked his way to his arms.

Able to take a closer look, Souichi analyzed the bruises on the other's forearms. There were five nasty blue-black bruises in a line – five digits. They looked like fingers had dug into skin, probably holding him still while others threw punches.

'It wasn't a fair fight. He was beaten on mercilessly. No matter what this guy did, he didn't get a fair fight.' Feeling anger for this poor man, Souichi noticed something else: dry, cut lips. He soon returned with a full cup of water. After the stranger nearly gulped it all down, he noticed that the other seemed more awake and aware of his surroundings.

'He seemed to be doing better now that he had something to drink and somewhere to lie down.' Questions started to bombard Souichi's mind. Who was this strange looking man? Where did he come from? Why was he here? What happened to him? However, he highly doubted the still injured man had much energy to answer all of them. So he decided to start with one.

"What's your name?"

"Huh?" A quizzical look was directed his way. With a heavy sigh, the blonde tried again.

"My name is Tatsumi Souichi. What's yours?" With comprehension flitting through dark green eyes, a small sweet smile graced the cut lips. The person now lying in his bed seemed genuinely happy with this new information, like he was just given a present that he would forever treasure. He then attempted to clear his throat. The reply still came out ragged and weak, but Souichi understood him clearly.

"Tetsuhiro. My name is Tetsuhiro."

**A/N: Alright! I have a new story!**

**Ok, I'm actually doing the one thing I told myself NOT to do – write multiple stories before finishing one… :S**

**Oh well… I had trouble concentrating on my other one, and just needed to get this one out there. But no worries, I will finish all my stories, even if it'll take me a while. :P**

**So this story was inspired by another one of Hinako Takanaga's mangas, Akuma no Himistu (The Demon's Secret). Throughout the whole time I was reading it, I kept on picturing our lovely Morinaga and Senpai as the characters, so I just had to write it! Even though the main idea and storyline is based off of Akuma no Himitsu, it is Souichi and Tetsuhiro we are talking about, so some details are and will be different.**

**I hope you like it!**

**As always, let me know what you think. :)**

**Until next time…**

**-Getsuei**


	2. A Lonely Past - part 1

Tetsuhiro woke to the chirping and whistling of birds. The melody drifted in from a window. Dark emerald green eyes scanned the simple room, disappearing behind heavy eyelids as the man blinked a few times. He didn't recognize the place; it was somewhere new. The double bed he was laying on was placed in a corner of the room, a wall spanning to his left. A night stand rested to his right near the head of the bed. There wasn't much on it, only a lamp and an empty drinking glass.

Tetsuhiro tried to get up, but had to immediately halt his movements as shots of pain sprang from all over his body. He cringed. Everything ached. What hurt the most, though, was the throbbing in his left ankle, the blooming pain in his right side and the dull ache at the bottom of his spine. Those would take some time to heal.

He attempted to move again, but this time he made sure to be very careful. Gently sliding his legs over the edge of the bed, he was grateful to see that he didn't seem to have any broken bones. He took it nice and slow before standing, making sure his ankle didn't hurt too much. Regardless, he still managed to stand up a bit too quickly and felt a little dizzy – the early onset of what promised to be a painful headache.

A long tail swished behind him, helping to keep his balance. Consequently, that simple action shot sharp pain up his spine. Seriously, what was up with people? Everyone always felt the need to pull on his tail to check if it was real. Yes, it was real, and it really hurt. No, it didn't come off, even if you'd pull on it really hard.

Tetsuhiro sighed and looked to his right. A window was located in the centre of the wall behind the bed and night stand. It was opened just a crack. A small breeze came through. Peering outside through wispy curtains, he could see that it was already morning. He had slept the whole afternoon and all of last night. Or had he been asleep longer than that?

Turning back to the room, the tall dark haired man analyzed his surroundings in more detail. To his left was the bed while to his right was a fairly large dresser, its surface clean and devoid of clutter. Before him against the far wall was a large bookcase. The wide variety of books with differently coloured spines standing neatly on their shelves pulled him in. Slowly but surely, he made his way to it to take a better look. There were a lot of books, most of them pertaining to science – mainly biology, chemistry or a combination of both. He also noticed that there were quite a few books on legends, mythology and spirits. 'What an interesting combination.'

Stepping away from the shelves, Tetsuhiro's attention was drawn to a desk on his left, spanning the wall beyond the bed. It, too, was organized and devoid of any personal items. Looking around the room, he had just noticed that there were no pictures of any kind, anywhere. It seemed a little too impersonal for his taste. Regardless, in the far corner – near the bookcase – but on the same wall as the dresser, was a door. He headed towards it.

Gently sliding the door aside, Tetsuhiro peeked around the corner, quickly scanning for anything that could be a threat, before stepping out into a hallway. At the end, a little ways to his right, was another sliding door. There were three more doors along the hallway, two on each side (counting the door he just stepped through). To the left, the hallway opened up to a room.

He really didn't recognize this place. Everything seemed foreign. He didn't remember much from the day before. Most of it was a blur as he ran and stumbled through an endless forest. He did remember finding a house in the woods, collapsing near it amongst the bushes and cherry trees. He remembered a man with round glasses, a stern look and long silver-blonde hair. He remembered asking for his help, but expecting none. He expected this stranger to run away or chase him away, just like everyone else. However, those hard hazel eyes went soft, and a hand was offered to him. He remembered the man helping him inside and onto a bed where he struggled to remain conscious. His wounds were cleaned and his throat was no longer dry. He remembered the name. Tatsumi Souichi – the name of the man who pretty much saved his life.

Without making a sound, Tetsuhiro headed towards the open space, his tail swishing behind him. He found what looked like the living room. Two couches and a coffee table were in the middle of the room. One of the couches faced a television set next to the right wall. In the corner of the room, to the right of the television, was a small desk.

Tetsuhiro's attention was captured by what lay on its surface. A few pictures were displayed, amongst other decorative objects. Walking up to it, he carefully picked up a picture frame. The image displayed within its borders was one of a light haired man and a brown haired woman. She smiled fondly up to the man standing next to her, whom was displaying such a proud smile, his eyes gleaming brilliantly. It was clearly apparent that these two individuals truly loved each other. Tetsuhiro didn't recognize them, but the man looked somehow familiar.

"I see you're up." Tetsuhiro nearly jumped out of his skin. He flinched, almost dropping the picture. He hastily laid the frame onto the desk before spinning around to face the source of that voice.

Someone was sitting on the couch facing the television. He hadn't seen him there. Blond hair hung loosely around the man's shoulders while a blanket lay haphazardly across his lap. Hazel eyes peered through round wire-frame glasses. The man stared up at him. It was a stern look, laced with accusation, much like the first time they met.

"Ah... Yah..." The tall man was at a loss of words. He felt more than a little guilty for looking through someone else's home, let alone being caught in the act.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you." Not knowing what to do with himself, he bowed his head to show no disrespect.

"You're sounding much better." Looking back at the man sitting before him, Tetsuhiro noticed that those eyes had lost their sharp edge.

"Ah, thanks. I feel better." He smiled.

"Hmmm... That's good." Stealing his gaze from the man towering above him, the blond directed it towards the blanket on his lap. Getting up, he grabbed it and started to fold. That's when a thought crossed Tetsuhiro's mind.

"You... slept on the couch?" Hazel eyes looked up at him. Tetsuhiro had just noticed that this man was slightly shorter than him.

"Yah... So?" The blond looked a little annoyed.

"Why...? Why didn't you just sleep in your own bed?"

"I would have if I could." The shorter man gave him a meaningful look.

"A certain someone happened to be using it." Dropping the folded blanket onto the couch, Tatsumi Souichi looked up at him. It took but a moment for those words to make sense in Tetsuhiro's mind.

"Oh! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to use up your bed." Guilt was made apparent in his features. He hadn't known. Tatsumi let out a small sigh, looking away.

"Never mind. It's alright. At least you're able to stand today." Tetsuhiro couldn't tell if the other was annoyed. The last thing he wanted was to impose himself on someone – to be a bother.

"Yes! Thank you very much! I wouldn't be recovering if it wasn't for you. Thank you so much!" Tetsuhiro bowed again. He wondered if he'd ever be able to convey how thankful he was.

"Mah... It's nothing, really. By the way..." The long haired man turned to face his guest, once again.

"What the hell happened to you?" This man was very blunt. Not that Tetsuhiro was surprised, but he should have expected it.

"Ah... It's-... It isn't something I should talk about." He didn't need to burden this man with his own problems.

"Oi! I just helped you. The very least you can do is repay the favour." He was straight forward and very blunt. Tetsuhiro was learning more and more about the man to whom he was indebted to.

"Well... It's not really something I like to recall." He looked away, his gaze downcast.

"Huh?... Did you do something bad? You're not some sort of criminal or something, are you?" The voice took a cautious tone.

"No! No... Nothing like that. It's just-..." Tetsuhiro tried to maintain eye contact, but couldn't. Words were lost to him. 'What do I say? How will I make him understand? No one else did.'

"Hmmm... Then it should be fine. You don't have anything to worry about. You can tell me." Straight forward, blunt _and_ determined.

"Ah... It's just... You've been so kind to me; I don't want you to hate me." The last bit was mumbled, nearly inaudible. Surprisingly, Tatsumi heard him.

"And why would I hate you?... You haven't done anything to make me hate you. I barely know you." That was true. Tetsuhiro looked back at the man standing before him, waiting for an answer. His own questions flooded his mind.

'Why did he take me in? He saw how I look like... Everyone else has rejected me. I wouldn't even do anything, and people would take one look at me and hate me for what I am... I am NOT a demon... but there is no denying what I look like, is there?'

"Why did you help me?" The words left his mouth.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Tatsumi seemed taken aback slightly. Those weren't the words he was expecting.

"You didn't have to help me. Why did you?"

"You were on my property-"

"But you could have chased me away... Just like everyone else did. So why did you?" Forgetting that the other had asked a question first, Tetsuhiro pressed on. The silence that followed only lasted but an instant.

"You asked for my help, didn't you?"

"Ah... I did, but-"

"But what? This place is a shrine. A sacred sanctuary. It's a place of peace and serenity. My mother would have been disappointed if we ever turned away anyone in need." Tetsuhiro simply stared. No one ever helped him, unless if they wanted something in return. 'His mother... She sounds like a wonderful woman.'

"Besides... you didn't seem evil." Those words were muttered just above a whisper.

"Wha-... ?!" Did Tetsuhiro hear correctly?

"Your eyes... " Long silver-blonde hair hanging loosely, framing that angular face, swayed as hazel eyes gazed up to meet his. They were strong, looking into him. Analyzing him.

"Your eyes have no malice in them. I've met plenty of people who seek nothing but to use or abuse those around them. Their eyes are ugly and cruel. But yours are nothing like that. So I knew I had nothing to fear." Wow. Was that a compliment? Tetsuhiro really didn't expect that. 'He's actually not afraid of me... Maybe... Maybe he will understand.'

**A/N****: Yay! Finally got another chapter done! To think it's already been over 2 months since I posted the first chapter. *sigh* I guess this is what I get for trying to write 2 stories at the same time... I'm such a slow writer. Oh well, at least it keeps me busy. :P**

**For this story, I've decided to answer your comments/reviews in this section. I've seen other authors do this and thought that it was a brilliant idea!**

**LoveKSB****: I'm glad that you like it! Sorry, the update wasn't soon. *tear* Hopefully the next one won't be as long of a wait. I make no promises... But i'll try my hardest! Thanks for your continuous support! :3**

**: Gracias! Me alegro de que te haya gustado la historia. Espero que siga leyendo! Por favor, hágamelo saber lo que piensa... I hope I got that right. Sorry, I don't remember much español, but I was so happy that I could translate what you wrote by myself! French being my first language helped a lot with that. :3 Mucho gracias for the review!**

**Kawaii neko chan15****: Here's a new chapter! I hope you liked it. And hopefully I'll post another one soon-ish... As well as more Love and Fear... Hehehe *nervous laugh* Yah... One day I'll get it all done and become efficient at writing... One day... lol! But as you saw, Love and Fear is also still ongoing. :3 Thanks for your review!**

**Guest****: I apologize for the long delay, I kind of got side tracked by my other story. I'm sooo sorry! I'll try to work on the next chapter a bit faster. :3 Thanks for the review/ encouragement. And I'm so glad that you think the story's great so far. Thank you so much! I'm really glad that you like it!**

**Please continue to support me. I really enjoy hearing from you!  
Until next time!**

**\- Getsuei ;)**


	3. A Lonely Past - part 2

Taking a steadying breath, the dark haired man decided to take a chance. It was the same for him too - he knew the other man meant him no harm. Somehow, he trusted him.

"I was with a group of people. We were hanging out around town when we passed by an elderly lady." Tetsuhiro stared off into space, recalling the events that happened just the day before.

"She was having trouble walking, so I helped her carry her things across the street. She thanked me and smiled kindly." A ghost of a smile crossed his lips, but it was gone all too soon. He couldn't stand still anymore, so he walked up to the second couch.

"But that's when it all went wrong. A gust of wind must have blown away my hat. She saw my horns. You should have seen her, she was so horrified." Tetsuhiro let out a small humourless chuckle. He rubbed his hands against his bare arms, subconsciously bringing them near his chest as if to shield himself, feeling a little self-conscious.

"You know, I was the only one who stopped to help that woman. But now, she was backing away in fear, calling me names. The people I was with cornered me... They would call me a demon, saying that they would protect her and everyone else from evil." His brow furrowed at the memory. Their voices echoed in his mind. There were too many of them. He couldn't get away. He remembered feeling so helpless.

"My so called _'friends'_ grabbed me, dragged me away into some back alley. They said that they would help me, free my soul from whatever _evi_l that possessed it. They were going to cleanse me, exorcise me..." Another humourless laugh escaped his throat. He felt tears start to prickle his eyes, but he blinked them away before they had the chance to build up too much.

"What a joke..." He murmured. Tatsumi just stared silently... Waiting. Listening.

"They held me down. They beat me up. Someone found a stick to hit me with. It cut me, too." He ran his fingers over the bruises and cuts on his arms that weren't bad enough to be covered in bandages.

"They even tried to fully strip me to find any other anomalies. Heh... I think they were kind of disappointed when they saw that most of my body seemed pretty normal." A sly smile formed on his lips before it too vanished. He saw something move from the corner of his eye. 'Oh yah... That's right...' Something swished behind his legs.

"But they did find... my tail... They tried pulling it off, to see if it would detach... To see if it was real." Looking back up, Tetsuhiro saw the long-haired blond stare at his tail. He felt way too self-conscious. The fact that he was still wearing nothing but his ripped pants did nothing to quell his nervousness. He briskly sat down on the couch in an attempt to hide his tail from view.

"... So... what happened next?" Hazel eyes regarded him with a level gaze, curious about how the tale would unfold.

"Hmmm... Well, I did manage to get away... somehow. The first chance I got, I ran. I didn't care where I was going, so long as it was away from there. I'm not sure how long they chased after me, but I wasn't going to stop and check. I ran as far and as fast as I could. But my body eventually gave out... That's when you found me." Tetsuhiro gave the other a small smile.

"Thank you so much, for letting me stay here." No one else had ever shown the same kindness.

"Don't worry about it" Tatsumi mumbled, his gaze elsewhere. Then his eyes narrowed into slits as he looked down upon his guest.

"Those jerks! ... I don't know how you could have ever called them your friends. They probably don't even know the meaning of it." The blond then sat down on the vacant couch in a huff.

"Ah, don't worry. Most people act like that when they find out..." Even though he wished he were lying, that was the reality of the situation, and he had accepted it a long time ago.

"People where I've been are simply old fashioned and narrow-minded. I got used to it." Even though Tatsumi fell silent, he seemed to still be irritated, silently fuming. Tetsuhiro wanted to change the subject - and mood - but didn't know what to say. It was the other that finally spoke up.

"By the way, how long will it take you to heal up? You-... you can stay here until you feel better. But once you're all healed, I want you out of here. Understand?" He had a light blush on his cheeks. Somehow, it made him look cute. Tetsuhiro liked that look on him.

"Ah! I-... It shouldn't be long. A few days maybe?"

"Really?" The shorter man was intrigued.

"Yah... It doesn't take me long to heal. I've always healed really fast, ever since I was young." Tetsuhiro allowed his mind to think back to simpler days. He stared dreamily into nothingness. A voice roused him from his thoughts.

"And how long have you had those horns and tail?" Tetsuhiro was, once again, caught off guard. He, once again, felt somewhat self-conscious.

"Ah! T-those?! Hmmm... T-they... They started growing s-sometime during my fourteenth year. I've had them for almost six years now."

"Huh? What? They just started to grow one day?"

"Yes." Tetsuhiro responded simply. This man seemed genuinely intrigued by him. 'This is different.'

"Did you have it checked?"

"Nah... My adoptive parents didn't have much money. Besides, I didn't want them to find out. It would have just been troublesome."

"Huh? Adoptive? You're an orphan?" Surprise and curiosity was laced in that tone.

'Shit! I hadn't planned to tell him that! How... how does he do that? Why is it so easy for me to tell him things? ... Maybe because he listens. But why does he want to know? I'll be gone from his life soon. Why does he care? Curiosity has to be in his nature.'

"Ah... Yah. I-... As long as I can remember, I've always been alone." Souichi gave him a complicated look. Tetsuhiro didn't want him to have the wrong idea.

"But I had amazing adoptive parents. They took good care of me, and gave me a nice place to stay. They even loved me..." His voice faded away.

"They must have found out at some point then, right? There's no way you could have hid something like that." Tetsuhiro momentarily closed his eyes, painful memories resurfacing. Was he really so transparent that this stranger could read into the situation so well? Or was he simply a good guesser?

"... You're right. There was no way. They eventually found out." He felt ashamed, still, after so many years.

"So... How did they take it?"

"How most people take it. They were in shock. They treated it like a curse. Since they didn't have enough money to get a doctor to check me out, they resorted to other means." His gaze fell to his lap.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well, they brought me to people who were said could heal me, cleanse my body and soul, that sort of thing."

"... Ehhh?... WHAT?! No way! People would actually do _that_?!" That reply was sort delayed, as if it took a while for it to sink in. Once it did, the blond seemed so shocked, as if such an idea was unheard of.

'But we're at a _shrine_, aren't we? Isn't normal to do such things here?' Tetsuhiro was confused by the level of outburst.

"It's not like they wanted to hurt me. They did it to help me and protect me from evil spirits. They didn't want evil spirits and demons to curse the family, you know? So they did what they could. Nothing worked though." Tetsuhiro absentmindedly reached up with his right hand to touch his horn. A sad smile graced his lips. Sure enough they were still there.

"So when I turned sixteen, I left. I didn't want to hurt them." His chest felt tight. It felt like a sword was stabbed through his heart. His memories haunted him. That time hurt him so much, but he wouldn't admit that to anyone. He couldn't let such things in his past bring him down; he had to be strong.

"Since then, I've been living by myself, moving from place to place." He had to move on.

"So... Where are you going next?" Tatsumi asked from his spot on the other couch.

"I don't know." Tetsuhiro seriously didn't know. It was never a matter of knowing where to go, but more where he was escaping from.

"You don't know?! You must be going somewhere."

"As long as it's far away from where I was, I don't care where I go."

"Hmmmm..." Tatsumi Souichi was analyzing him again.

"You look... awful. When was the last time you ate?" Another change of subject. Tetsuhiro didn't mind.

"Actually, I don't really remember." He thought back, but he couldn't recall his last meal.

"There's food in the fridge. Feel free to take whatever you'd like. I'll go get your room ready." Souichi said simply as he stood.

'Huh?... What?' Tetsuhiro stood up, too. Did he miss something?

"My room?"

"Yah, you'll be sleeping in my brother's old room 'til you get better. I want my bed back."

"Of course! Wait, you have a brother?" The dark haired man asked, his turn to be curious.

"... And a sister." The blond seemed almost uncertain about sharing such information.

"Woah! Really? Where are they?" Tetsuhiro looked around as if expecting them to appear at any moment.

"They've all moved out. It's just me here."

"Oh... Really? ... It must be lonely here, all by yourself." Tetsuhiro was talking through experience. Sure, he had grown accustomed to living by himself, but he did get a little lonely from time to time.

"Hmm... Not really. I haven't really thought about it?" Souichi stared off, his features taking on a dreamy look. Then, within moments, he was back, eyes set in determination.

"You better get some food. I'll get your room ready... And some clothes." With that said, he walked off down the hallway without waiting for an answer, a blanket folded under one arm and a pillow under another.

"Alright." Tetsuhiro stared at the other man's back in wonder before it disappeared through a doorway. He had wanted to get new clothes, but didn't want to ask for any. He hadn't wanted to impose himself on the other more than he already had.

He didn't think he'd ever get used to this man. Souichi seemed somewhat unpredictable, like a hurricane. However, Tetsuhiro was somehow captivated and attracted to this man. Too bad he wouldn't have a chance to get to know this walking enigma. He felt like he'd give anything to have that chance.

**A/N****: I hope you enjoyed part 2! (A bit of background info for ya :P) As you've noticed, I decided to split this chapter in two. I ended up being done the first part, which happened to be long enough in my opinion to be posted by itself, while I finished the second part. This way, I was able to give you something to read while I finished writing the rest of it. :D **

**Stay tuned for the next chapter! **

**LoveKSB****: **

**Yes, I'll make sure I'll finish it. Same with Love and Fear. I will NOT allow myself to leave them unfinished. That being said, with how I have other stuff happening in my life, and how slow I write, there is no guarantee that it'll be swiftly, or in a timely manner. But I will do my best! Please continue to support me. :3**

**And thank you, I really like my name. Ok, it's not my given name. It's in fact the username I use for almost everything, but I love it so! ^-^**

**Beth****: **

**Hello Beth, I'm glad you like it as of yet! Here's an early update! Ok… not sure how long it'll take for the next one… but I'll do my best! Please enjoy this one. :3**

**Until next time!**

**\- Getsuei ;)**


	4. A New Roommate

"Thank you very much, Shinshoku."

"The pleasure is mine." Souichi bowed in return. He said his goodbyes to a young couple. He watched their retreating form as they took the path back down the hill to the road. As the priest of this small shrine, it was his mandate to ensure that the worshippers had a satisfactory relationship with the kami. It was also his mandate to officiate at all shrine ceremonies on behalf of and at the request of worshippers. However, since it was such a small, remote shrine on the outskirts of a small village, there weren't many worshippers whom would visit, other than the yearly ceremonies. Nonetheless, from time to time, people would come and visit.

Souichi considered having such a low flow of traffic coming through the shrine as a blessing. He didn't have any junior priests, known as gon-negi, or any shrine maidens, known as miko, to help him. But he didn't see the need to, and preferred it this way. Such a low end shrine didn't need multiple caretakers. Besides, he didn't have much patience with people in the first place, especially stupid people. Talking to visitors was one thing, but having to withstand someone following you day in and day out was a whole other. He'd prefer avoiding that if he could.

Nonetheless, not having anyone to work for him, Souichi had to do everything by himself. When his family was still around, both him and Tomoe had helped their father as junior priests, especially when he would be out of town on his trips. Kanako, on the other hand, had been a great shrine maiden, when she wanted to be. But since all of his family members had moved on to different areas of the world, he had the whole place to himself. And he had managed just fine by _himself_.

Souichi looked down at his clothes. He had dressed for the occasion, as it was expected of him, in the Shinto priest's traditional garbs. He wore a white ikan sokutai, the ceremonial full dress worn by gentlemen since the Heian court. The white colour was worn for many ceremonies, representing purity, keeping with the Shinto's belief of purity before approaching a kami. He also wore a navy-blue hakama, a trouser-type garment that was tied at the waist and fell approximately to the ankles. Lastly, he wore the appropriate shoes called asagutsu, which date from the Edo Period.

However, Souichi didn't wear the eboshi that day. He despised wearing it. He wasn't a hat wearing person, and would avoid wearing it whenever he could. His father would reprimand him when he was a priest-in-training, and would make him wear it every time they were to enter the shrine. With time, however, his father relented and Souichi managed to get away from wearing the ceremonial hat as long as it wasn't an important, official ceremony.

In his hands, he held the final piece of his outfit, a shaku. It looked like nothing but a small wooden plank. This was a sort of sceptre used by Shinto priests. He personally didn't find any real use for it, but he couldn't argue against tradition. Everything had some sort of symbolism or meaning behind it.

So what was the meaning behind Tetsuhiro's appearance? Souichi wasn't a very superstitious man, but when a demon showed up on his doorstep, he couldn't help but wonder. Ok, the man wasn't a demon, but he sure looked like one.

'So why did he show up here? Out of all places, why did he end up in _my_ life?' Souichi had managed by himself, up until now. With the arrival of a certain... _someone_, his life hadn't been quite the same. For one, it wasn't as quiet, or as calm as it used to be.

It had been a whole month since the priest had found that strange looking man beneath the cherry trees, and the stranger was still here. Sure, they weren't strangers anymore; they had come to know a bit of each other in their time together. But Souichi couldn't bring himself to kick the other out of his house. The strange looking man had nowhere to go, so the blond figured he could let him stay until he found someplace to move on to.

Tetsuhiro, in fact, proved to be a great help around the house and the shrine. Not only did he know how to clean and cook, he seemed to enjoy it. And was he ever a good cook. On their first day together, he had prepared a delicious meal while Souichi got the other's room ready and looked for some clothes.

Tetsuhiro was, as Souichi soon found out, a very cheerful and upbeat person whom would greet Souichi every morning with a bright smile. He was a surprisingly very optimistic type of person, especially taking into consideration everything he'd been through. But even with all his cheerfulness and good intentions, he still managed to rile Souichi up, from time to time. It was a given that Souichi did possess quite an explosive temper, but by adding Tetsuhiro into the mix, it was obvious why some of the locals knew the blond as the tyrant, or the demon, of the shrine. Tatsumi didn't know this, however, since it was nothing but a rumor whispered through the town.

Even though Tetsuhiro could be such an idiot and irritate the blond to no end, Souichi had found out that he didn't hate it. He kind of liked having the idiot around, but he couldn't figure out why. Whenever that infuriating horned man would do something wrong, he would come back, apologizing for his wrongdoing. There was no way Souichi could stay mad at the idiot when he saw nothing but gentleness and caring in those big bright green eyes.

Maybe Souichi's world had been a little lonely before the stranger's arrival. Maybe he simply needed someone he could call his friend. However, all he knew was that even though the other managed to irritate him, his life had become much more lively, and bright.

Distractedly, the blond priest gazed up at the cherry trees. They had fully bloomed the month previous. All of the petals had been shed away to allow beautiful green leaves to take their place. Spring was well on its way.

Souichi headed towards the path joining the shrine to his home. He allowed his mind to drift a little as he left the entrance to the shrine and passed a corner with tall posts and walls made of cedar and birch.

Suddenly, something grabbed Souichi from behind and encircled his waist. Before he knew it, his back had collided with something soft, yet solid. A cheerful voice came from somewhere near his left ear.

"Good afternoon, Shishoo!" Ever since Tetsuhiro had heard someone call Souichi by his title as a priest, he ended up using it, too. Many would call Souichi by the common word for a Sinto priest, shinshoku. However, there were some whom would address him by Shishoo, a more specific name for a priest at a low-level village or hamlet shrine. Tetsuhiro seemed to prefer that one and would only call him by that title.

Peering over his left shoulder, Souichi saw that radiant smile and those gorgeous green eyes with a hint of mischief in them.

'That _idiot_!' Of course he would appear seemingly out of nowhere.

"Umph!" The taller man released his hold on the blond. With a well-aimed hit from his elbow to the other's gut, Souichi got what he wanted and Tetsuhiro received what he deserved.

Spinning on his heels, Souichi brought up his right arm. While the other was still doubled over, he landed a nice slap with his shaku at the back of Tetsuhiro's head. He had just found a good use for his sceptre.

"Oowww! Shishoo~… What was that for?" Tetsuhiro rubbed the back of his head.

"Oh, stop your whining. You got what you deserved. What the hell did I tell you about grabbing me like that, anyways?" He stared coldly at the other's pleading gaze.

"But I didn't mean anything wrong by it..." Now he looked like a wounded puppy.

"Shut up!" Souichi's gaze faltered. He knew Tetsuhiro meant no harm by the affectionate gesture, and that he would never hurt him. He was simply a very hugging person. That or it might be because Souichi was probably the only person to show him any sort of acceptance or kindness, and he wanted to show his gratitude. Tetsuhiro might be a very touchy feel-y person, but Souichi wasn't. To his dismay, Tetsuhiro turned out to be a very clingy friend. And whatever he might do, he didn't need to show his affection out in public like that. People would get the wrong idea.

Taking a closer look, Souichi finally realized what the other was wearing.

"What the _hell_ is that?"

"What's what, Shishoo?" The taller man looked confused.

"_That_! The thing you're wearing."

"Is there something wrong with my clothes?" Tetsuhiro looked down to inspect himself. He was wearing loose fitting jeans and a long sleeved forest-green top.

"Not your clothes. Your _hat_! What the hell did you do with your hat?"

"Oh! Do you like it?" He was wearing a black beanie. On normal humans it would look fine, but on him...

"What do you mean 'do I like it'? We can see your horns!" Souichi couldn't believe how he could walk around in public like that, especially after what people had done to him.

"Yah... They're getting a bit big, so I decided to cut holes in the hat. Now it looks more like one of those specialty hats, right?" Tetsuhiro smiled happily at his ingenious plan.

"... Barely." Souichi wasn't convinced. He hadn't really noticed, but he had to agree that in the past month, those horns seemed to have grown. So much for his theory of it being fake. Tetsuhiro must really have some sort of genetic deformity. With his horns still growing, Souichi wondered how long it'll take for them to _finish_ growing, and how _big_ they'd get. An image from one of his books of a demon with its long horns – reaching from its temple to the back of its head – crossed his mind. The image of it sent a shiver down his spine. Tetsuhiro wasn't a demon, but even so, if his horns grew to be that big, it'd be a real pain to try to hide them. Souichi knew how challenging it was to hide Tetsuhiro's deformities at the size they were now, let alone when they'd get bigger.

However, Souichi's first task had been to simply dress Tetsuhiro. Even though his family was gone, they had left some spare shirts and pants for when they'd come back to visit, which provided him with some potential clothing for the newcomer. Sadly, since his little brother was shorter than him and his father about his height, Souichi didn't have any clothes at the house that would properly fit Tetsuhiro's tall frame. He finally managed to find a button-up shirt that was long enough to cover the taller man's length, and had sleeves that fit his arms, but had to be worn unbuttoned since it was too tight around his torso. The blond also managed to find pants, even if they hugged Tetsuhiro's frame a little too tightly.

A few days in, however, Souichi felt bad for the other's lack of a wardrobe. Also, constantly seeing Tetsuhiro's bare chest had started to annoy him. He didn't know why it irritated him so, but a proper person should be fully clothed.

After scavenging through the whole house, Souichi finally found an over-sized hoodie at the back of his dad's closet. Since none of the shoes fit, Tetsuhiro found a pair of sandals that did the trick. With his tail tucked in his pants and his horns hidden beneath the hood, they were ready, setting off to do some clothes shopping. Tetsuhiro was way too giddy for a grown man on his way to a clothing store. However, he was so very grateful that he had someone to shop with! ... And pay for his stuff, especially since he had lost all of his money in the fight.

Another part of his new roommate that Souichi found intriguing was how he could heal unnaturally quickly. Only a few days after his arrival, the scrapes and cuts that littered Tetsuhiro's skin had healed; the bruises were nearly gone. Within the week, his more severe wounds were unnoticeable. Souichi somewhat envied such fast healing abilities. Some people were really gifted. However, thinking back to Tetsuhiro's peculiar physical traits, and how people reacted to them, he had to concede that they might be more of a curse.

Coming back to reality, the priest starred at the hat and horns jutting out from it. That idiot really did need to be more careful. Keeping his gaze fixed on them, Souichi noticed the horns' dark brown hue. They weren't as dark as its owner's hair, but close. They also looked soft, but Souichi already knew that.

It happened a few weeks after the dark-haired man showed up. Souichi had been stealing a few glances towards his new roommate's horns, unable to concentrate on the book he had in front of him. Tetsuhiro must have caught him starring at them for a little too long. That must have been why he decided to sit down on the couch, right next to him, and actually ask if he wanted to touch them.

Baffled, Souichi had wanted to deny it and act like he was disinterested. But he couldn't. He was much too curious. Ever since he first saw those horns jutting from dark brown - nearly black - hair, he had wanted to see if they were real.

Carefully, he touched the pads of his fingers to the horns. Not wanting to hurt the other, he gently ran his fingers along its curve, feeling the ridges along its length. It was soft, yet bumpy. Testing to see if they were real and truly attached to that thick skull of his, Souichi gently pulled the horn outwards. Sure enough, Tetsuhiro's head moved with it. Looking at his face, he saw his roommate simply smile at him. That_ idiot_. He looked so content and happy.

Now, Souichi reached up and firmly grasped one of the horns. Giving it a rough tug, he dragged Tetsuhiro behind him as he headed towards the wood-panelled house.

"Eh?!" The horned-man had not expected this. He nearly tripped when he was forced to keep pace with the blonde's long strides, his head bent down and sideways at an uncomfortable angle.

"Wha-! Oi! What are you-... Would you just... _Let go!_ ... They're not... _handles_!" Souichi continued to drag Tetsuhiro behind him, pulling at the horn every time the other tried to squirm away.

"Well, what else would they be used for? What purpose do they serve? Other than scaring off neighbours and children?" Souichi stopped to look at him.

"Ummm... I-" Tetsuhiro's face fell. His eyes were downcast. It was obvious that he didn't like what his image did to people.

Souichi growled in irritation. He hadn't meant to make the other feel sad and self-conscious. He let go of the horn.

"Come on. We have stuff to do, and I'm getting hungry." Tetsuhiro's eyes lit up at the mention of food.

"Alright, Shishoo. I'll make us something good for lunch, ok?" In that instant, his mood had completely changed. The dark haired man loved to do anything to please the blond, and Souichi wasn't going to complain.

**A/N****: Yay! Another chapter done! I hope you liked it! Please let me know what you think! **

**Beth****:**

**Hello Beth, I'm really glad you loved the chapter. Hopefully you liked this one too! :P**

**I'm quite happy that I was able to update and post this chapter within 2 weeks. Not as fast as last time, but it hasn't been too long, right? **

**Berryberry****:**

**Yes! I sooo plan on adding lots of fluff! It will come... Eventually… ;)**

**That, and I plan on having some lemony goodness at some point. :P**

**LoveKSB****:**

**Thank you! I'm glad you liked it! And you may ask whatever you'd like, I don't mind! **

**So to answer your question, yes, the rating is going to get higher. ;) I'm thinking it'll be in a few chapters, but it all depends if everything goes as planned. I always seem to write more stuff than I first intended to, or at least it gets longer than I had originally planned. Therefore, I end up adding more chapters in, prolonging the wait… Oh well… The lemony goodness will happen… Eventually. :P**

**Tagicheartbreak****:**

**Thank you very much! I'm glad you enjoyed it. I do plan to keep this up for a while. But with my other story also still ongoing, there's no telling which one I'll update next or how long it'll take. I hope you enjoyed the new chapter! :3**

**Thank you everyone for reviewing, liking and following! :D I'm looking forward to hear from you all!**

**Until next time!**

**-Getsuei ;)**


	5. An Unwanted Love

Two men sat on the porch surrounding the front of a quaint two-storied, wood-panelled house that evening, legs dangling over the edge. It was late, really late; the sun had already set over the horizon. They cast their gaze skywards, towards the inky blackness sprinkled with stars. The night was mild and comfortable. A cup of warm tea rested in their hands.

Tetsuhiro encircled his fingers around the mug, cradling it on his lap. His hands were warmed by the heat radiating from the hot liquid, while his heart was warmed by the company. He felt all warm and cozy, sitting next to Souichi like this. It was a rare sight to be sitting so close to him for this long without having the other either push him away or distance himself. It almost seemed like the blond was feeling a little too self-conscious each time they were too close. Now they were shoulder to shoulder, their arms and elbows touching. The dark haired man couldn't ask for anything more; he was so happy.

Tetsuhiro still couldn't believe it. It had been a month now and he was still at the shrine with the person whom saved his life. His wish had been fulfilled; he got his chance to learn more about this walking enigma, called Tatsumi Souichi. The more he learned about him, the more he became captivated by the other male. He always wanted to learn more. He wanted to know everything about this man. He already loved how that silvery blonde hair shimmered in the sunlight, or how those eyes with that wonderful shade of amber took in the world around him with that look that was both stern, yet curious. He also liked how the man looked at him. No one else had looked at him the same way. Souichi had more of an analytical, non-biased way of gazing at Tetsuhiro that wasn't judgmental or cold and deprived of emotion. It was different to be seen like that, without any malice or ill intent hidden behind that gaze.

Tetsuhiro also liked how Souichi would get all flustered each time he would be complimented. And he liked when Souichi would try to act all cool and disinterested when he actually cared. He loved that shyness about him. He even liked seeing the man get mad and all worked up for the smallest things.

Tetsuhiro's heart-rate sped up. His chest felt tight as he clutched his mug even tighter, tingling feelings racing through his whole body. It was true. He couldn't deny it... He really was falling for him. That's when he knew he truly was a goner.

He knew the priest of this small shrine would never accept his feelings as nothing more than friends. He knew he should give up on such thoughts of love, but he couldn't, no matter how hard he tried. Each day his feelings grew stronger – he was aware of this – and he didn't know what to do about it. He couldn't bring himself to leave this man's side, so he had decided a while ago on staying content as things were between them. He decided he could be patient and stay by his side as long as the blond allowed him to.

Tetsuhiro stared down at his cup, watching the liquid shimmer from within, casting reflections of light and shadows every which way. He could barely see much in the dim twilight, but he still managed to make out the form of his silhouette staring back at him. It almost seemed like it was mocking him. He was different. He looked different. People didn't like what was different. They feared the unknown. That's why he was always compelled to hide that part of him, like it was a disease.

However, even though they had given him much grief, he somewhat felt like his horns, as well as his tail, were as much a part of him now as was his arms or legs. If he ever had the opportunity to make them go away, forever, he didn't know if he would take it. Or maybe he was only thinking this way because he was trying to comfort himself since such a thing would never happen.

Distracting himself from those troubling thoughts, Tetsuhiro brought the mug up to his lips to sip some tea. He felt the warm liquid travel down his throat, the faint taste of lavender lingering in his mouth. Heaving a small sigh, he went back to savouring the moment. It really was a calm, serene night.

Looking over to his left, Tetsuhiro saw light of the moon reflecting off of Souichi's glasses. He just stared for a while in awe. Souichi really was one of the most beautiful creatures Tetsuhiro had ever seen. Becoming more aware of their close proximity, feeling their arms and knees touch, the taller man started to feel his body react. Heat was rising up his neck; he was sure his cheeks were a nice shade of pink by now. Why did he have to think of such things, now out of all times? Even though they were already in physical contact with each other, Tetsuhiro wanted to touch more. It was a blessing that Souichi was still lost in his thoughts, oblivious to Tetsuhiro's inner struggle with his senses. He couldn't lose control over his body. It would be much too embarrassing if he did.

Souichi continued to sip at his tea, eyes staring up at the sky. All of a sudden, surprising Tetsuhiro out of thoughts, the blond spoke up.

"Look! A shooting star." The tall male looked up just in time to see the end of its trail across the sky.

"Did you see it?" Souichi looked over at him.

"Yes, I did. It was beautiful." Tetsuhiro was still looking up, a small smile gracing his lips. He was also momentarily avoiding the other's gaze.

"Now you have to make a wish."

"What? What do you mean?" The dark haired man looked back at his friend. He was confused.

"What? You never heard of making a wish once you see a shooting star?" Souichi looked quizzically at the man sitting next to him. Tetsuhiro shook his head.

"_Really_? Everyone knows that one should make a wish on a shooting star. I thought everyone was taught that as a kid." Now Tetsuhiro felt like an idiot, like he had missed out on something.

"I know... It's a ridiculous notion to be making a wish on a molten piece of rock burning up in the atmosphere..." The priest's voice died out, returning to his thoughts.

"So why do it?" Tetsuhiro didn't quite understand.

"My mom used to love wishing upon meteors." Souichi stared down at his mug, rolling it between his fingers.

"So let's make a wish then!" Tetsuhiro closed his eyes and made his wish. He then turned towards Souichi.

"Did you make your wish?" The blond nodded.

"Yes," he answered. "So what did _you_ wish for?" Souichi turned to face Tetsuhiro once again. Their eyes met. Tetsuhiro stared intently into their depth. His eyes then traveled down to the other's lips. They were so close...

Before he knew what had happened, Tetsuhiro felt his lips touch the other's. He had leaned in, one hand caressing the blonde's cheek. Souichi must not have realized what happened either for he simply let it happen. It was only when he felt that gentle hand on his skin and his mind registered that he had lips against his own that he started to struggle. He tried to back away, out of the other's reach, but Tetsuhiro would have none of it. He slid his hand to the back of Shishoo's head, threading his fingers through long strands of hair tied in a ponytail, firmly keeping it in place.

The feel of the blonde's lips was absolutely amazing. He was in heaven. He wanted a bit more. Just a bit more. He couldn't part from this close proximity just yet. That's when Souichi tried to voice his complaint. However, it came out muffled and incoherent since their lips were pressed together. Nonetheless, Tetsuhiro felt the vibrations against his lips. That sensation sent a shiver down his spine right to his core. He couldn't take it anymore. He needed _more_, much more.

Dropping his mug beyond his knees, letting it fall to the ground, spilling the remaining liquid, Tetsuhiro brought his other hand up. His arm encircled Souichi's shoulders as his hand helped maintain the other's head in place.

He opened his mouth just a little, enough to allow his tongue to taste the other's lips. They were delicious. Surprisingly, he managed to slip that tongue past those enchanting lips to taste just the inside of Souichi's mouth. It was amazing.

That action broke the delicate spell they were under, bringing Souichi back to his senses. Tetsuhiro heard a dull thump as the other mug joined his own on the ground. He then felt strong hands shove him away, far enough for their lips to part.

"N- nooo..." That one shaky word shook Tetsuhiro to his senses. He felt like he just had a bucket of ice-cold water dumped on him. Souichi sounded somewhat scared. Tetsuhiro didn't like that. He opened his eyes, searching the other's downcast gaze. Hands were still pushing against his chest.

He did it. He _really_ did it. He really _kissed_ Souichi. He hastily released his hold on the other man.

Souichi was stunned, his mind barely comprehending what had happened. He looked up to stare at the demon-looking man before him. In a flash, he skirted back as he got up, adding some distance between them. Tetsuhiro stayed rooted on his spot. The blond apparently needed answers.

"W-... What the _hell_ was _that_?" Souichi tried to keep his voice leveled. He sounded like he was out of breath. Tetsuhiro looked up. With his eyes closed, he hadn't been looking at Souichi while kissing him, just feeling. Now he saw a dark blush paint his cheeks a dark red hue.

"A kiss."

"I _fucking_ know that! _Why_?!" Souichi's voice rose in volume. He was mad. _Really_ mad. He could hear it in his voice.

"Because..." Tetsuhiro looked at his hands lying on his lap.

"I-... I _love_ you." His eyes got big in surprise.

'I actually said it..'. He quickly closed them in preparation of what was to come.

"Eh... ?! ... Wha... ?" Souichi mumbled incoherently. He was clearly at a loss for words. He was in shock. Eyes wide, he stared dumbly at the man still sitting. He certainly didn't expect that one. Tetsuhiro allowed himself to look up at the other's feet. He heard the blond take a deep breath.

"You can't." That statement was barely audible, no louder than a whisper. Yet it sounded final, like an order.

"Why not, Shishoo?" Tetsuhiro gazed up pleadingly into the hard amber eyes of the one towering above him. Why did he have to deny his feelings?

"Because _I'm_ a MAN!" Souichi wasn't just mad, he was furious.

"... And you-… _you're_ a man!" His voice faltered. Tetsuhiro nodded.

"So you can't!" Tetsuhiro wasn't going to back down or look away.

"Why not?" He asked again, gently. However, it was already too late. Souichi was hurt. His friendship and trust had been betrayed by Tetsuhiro's love.

"You just fucking _can't_." That phrase was uttered harshly. The blond priest spun on his heels and entered the house, slamming the door shut.

Souichi didn't look at him, or uttered a single word, for three days.

**A/N****: Guess who's absolutely INSANE to have stayed up til nearly 4am to finish writing a new chapter? You guessed it!  
Was it worth it? Well, right now? Totally! Ask me again in 12 hours, and we'll see. :S  
And as you've already noticed, finally a bit more fluff! *so excited* I hope you enjoyed the chapter. :3 I'll work on the next one... soon. Well at least after some much deserved sleep. ;)**

**Beth****:**

**Hello again! You are very welcome! I hope you'll be pleasantly surprised with this update! It might, however, take a bit of work, and time, before both Souichi and Tetsuhiro fall in love. Souichi is a hard man to work with. :P By the way, I hope you don't mind me asking this question. I was somewhat curious to know in what time zone you live in, since you said you checked the web page in the morning, and when I posted this last chapter, it was around 3pm where I live, which isn't morning. (I really like to learn where people come from.) Thanks again for reviewing!**

**Kawaii neko chan15****: **

**Yaayy for another new chapter! It's all good, but thanks for reviewing this time! It's nice to hear from you! I'm so glad you loved the chapters, and I hope you liked this one as well. :) There's hopefully going to be more romance to come! :P**

**LoveKSB****:**

**Lol! Tetsuhiro definitely should! It would make his life sooo much easier! Lol! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! And thanks again for reviewing! **

**Thanks again everyone for supporting me! Please let me know what you think! **

**Edit****: While re-reading the chapter, I noticed that there were a few minor things that I missed (… or forgot to add), so I finally had the chance to add them. (They were mainly near the end.) Apparently details are hard to notice when writing at 2 in the morning. XP **

**Please enjoy!**

**Until next time!**

**-Getsuei ;)**


	6. Confusing Feelings

For three, long, agonizing days, Souichi blatantly avoided Tetsuhiro whenever possible. He completely ignored him, not once did their gaze meet. It was obvious that he was mad at his dark-haired roommate. Not only did he avoid any situations where they would have to speak, he went as far as to ignore the other's very presence.

The very next day, Tetsuhiro had expected the blonde's cool and distant disposition, and had understood his... reaction from the night before, well aware of his explosive nature. Yet, he had hoped to have been able to talk to his friend. He wanted to explain himself; he wanted to apologize for his actions. But the tyrannical priest never gave him that chance. So Tetsuhiro waited patiently for Souichi to cool down enough to be willing to listen.

After a second night of contemplation, Tetsuhiro had hoped that the priest would be more prone to listen. He had even made a delicious breakfast for him. If his ears and mind couldn't be persuaded, maybe his stomach would. However, the blond never showed up. The tall man eventually found a small, short note on the coffee table explaining that the priest had gone to town and that he'd be back later. He had even included a list of chores to do around the house and shrine. Throughout that second day, Tetsuhiro had gone through various levels of dreaded nervousness and agonizing despair. But when Souichi finally showed up, he was as cool and distant as ever. Yet again, the day had come and gone, and Tetsuhiro hadn't done any progress in mending their relationship.

Sadly, the third day went by about the same way, if not worse. That day, Souichi stayed home, but was completely unapproachable. Tetsuhiro was losing all hope. His patience nearly gone, he didn't see how they could fix what seemed to have been permanently broken. It was only a kiss. Was it really that bad? He hadn't expected Souichi to fully accept his feelings - he certainly didn't expect the man to reciprocate - but he had hoped that he wouldn't have tossed them aside like a used rag.

As the day progressed, he only saw Souichi drift away from him. If it was even possible to fix their damaged relationship, and get back to what they once had, Souichi didn't even seemed interested in fixing anything.

On the fourth morning, Tetsuhiro woke up to what seemed like the darkest day in his life. The sun was shining through fluffy white clouds, and the birds were chirping happily amongst the trees. Nonetheless, he was blind and deaf to it all. Sitting on the edge of his bed, he felt a tear roll down his cheeks.

'For three whole days, he didn't even look at me, let alone speak to me. I really hurt him, didn't I?' Tetsuhiro felt so miserable. Saddened, he had decided that it was about time to move on. There was no point in burdening this man any further.

His heart hurt. But he didn't want to hurt Souichi even more.

'I have to leave... It's the only way.' 

Blonde hair tied together, cascading down his back, the irritated priest was lounging on the couch; his nose buried in one of his science textbooks. He never had the chance to pursue his love for science, especially since the heritage of the shrine went to him. It made sense; he was the eldest son of the Tatsumi family. However, he still entertained the thought of going to university for an agricultural science degree, or something along that field. He knew it was never too late to start. For now, though, he simply enjoyed reading whatever he could on the matter.

The day before, Souichi had noticed Tetsuhiro's darkened mood. The first few days, it had seemed like the idiot wanted to talk, but there was no way he was going to let him. He had been angry, no, furious at the other's audacity to have... that... he-... The blond didn't want to talk about it. So he ignored the idiot, hoping he got the point.

However, yesterday, Tetsuhiro seemed different. He had given up on talking, and simply seemed... sad. Well that was a good thing. He deserved to suffer for his actions.

'It's his own goddamn fault! I have every right to be mad at him.' Nonetheless, Souichi would steal quick glances at the other, keeping an eye on him while keeping his distance, but would look away before the other man noticed.

Now it was a beautiful Saturday morning, and yet Souichi was having trouble concentrating on his reading. His thoughts kept drifting to that calm night. His fingers griped the pages and cover of his textbook a little too tight. The more he thought back to it, the more it confused him.

He couldn't believe that Tetsuhiro had _kissed_ him. And it wasn't a simple peck on the cheek, either. It had been more intimate. Friends didn't kiss, especially not like that. He had even tasted the other's tongue. Souichi felt his cheeks heat up.

Strangely, it hadn't been as bad as he would have expected. He... he didn't know what he thought of it, his mind had become sluggish and he could barely think. All he knew was that it hadn't felt like it was supposed to. He hadn't felt any disgust or repulsion. He didn't hate it, and that scared him.

When his mind caught up with what was happening, he managed to finally push the other away. He had been afraid... afraid of what he had allowed to happen. He had been afraid that he didn't automatically hate it. He had been afraid that he... might have... liked...

He forcefully shut his book with a loud _whack_.

Sitting up, Souichi placed the book on the coffee table before burying his face in his hands. If the kiss wasn't enough, that idiot had to completely blindside him and come out with a love confession.

'What a joke! Was he serious?' The priest sighed. 'Of course he was.'

Souichi had been in shock. Completely speechless, he could only mutter incoherent sounds. As his mind caught up with what had happened, he started to get angry to cover up his confusion. He wasn't a homo! So why... ? Besides, he didn't understand why the other thought it was love. Love was something between a male and a female. Tetsuhiro couldn't love him. He was simply mistaking it for friendship, nothing more.

Aggravated by his thoughts, Souichi got up to grab something from his room. Walking around the couch, he caught a glimpse of Tetsuhiro's back ease through the door at the end of the hall. He had a backpack slung over a shoulder. The door made little sound as it gently slid shut behind him.

Souichi furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. Why was he carrying a bag? And certainly he knew that this was the back door. There wasn't anything back there. He always took the front door to go work at the shrine.

Souichi felt uneasy. Something wasn't right. Quickly making his way down the hall, he hastily slid the door aside. He saw Tetsuhiro make his way through the maple and cherry trees, heading towards the endless forest. He was walking away from him, heading the opposite direction from the shrine, and from the town, for that matter.

'What is he doing? Where does he think he's going? ... Is he leaving me?' Acting on impulse, Souichi ran after him. Coming up close, he called out.

"Oi!" Tetsuhiro stopped in his tracks.

"Where the _hell_ do you think you're going?" Souichi stood a few feet away. Tetsuhiro finally looked back at him. His face streaked with tears.

He seemed so... lost and... broken. Souichi's heart skipped a beat. That single saddened look stole his breath away. His chest hurt.

"_Now_ you want to talk?" The dark-haired man sounded like he was mocking him. Souichi ignored it.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Souichi didn't understand. He certainly hadn't known that this man could be just as unpredictable as he was, in his own way.

"I didn't want you to hate me... more than you already do... So I'm leaving before I make things worse." Tetsuhiro wasn't looking at him, but at a spot on the ground between them. He sounded so lost.

"How would that fix anything?" Souichi demanded. "I never said I wanted you gone." He didn't understand why the other would feel compelled to leave.

"But that's just it, you didn't say anything! You didn't even _look_ at me... I thought you hated me." Souichi almost missed that last part; it was muttered no louder than a whisper.

"I don't hate y-"

"Then why wouldn't you look at me? You haven't looked at me in over three days, so I thought that you must be mad, that you must hate me. So I decided it was about time I'd leave." Tetsuhiro didn't allow Souichi to finish his sentence, staring at him with accusing eyes. The priest just stared back in silence for a moment. Of course he was mad at the guy, but he didn't hate him.

Souichi was surprised at his own thoughts. He didn't... hate... him... Why couldn't he hate the man standing before him? That's right. He was his friend. He was a good, kind man. Souichi might not approve of his actions; he was still mad. But he didn't hate him.

"And where would you go?"

"I'd find somewhere. Don't worry about me." But Souichi couldn't _not_ worry about him. He thought back to the stories he heard about Tetsuhiro's past. It still irritated him how the other man was treated. It was idiotic and unfair. His chest would hurt each time he'd think about the pain and loss this man must have gone through.

"But why leave? Did you think you could just go without telling me? If I wanted you to leave, I would have told you... I would have kicked you out."

"... Would you?" Tetsuhiro didn't sound like he believed him.

"What the? Of course I would! I wouldn't let you stay if I wasn't ok with it." Why did Tetsuhiro doubt him?

"But wasn't the reason why you let me stay here because I didn't have anywhere else to go? Wasn't that the reason why you allowed me to stay in the first place?" Souichi just stared blankly at the other. Yes, that was mostly the reason why he'd let him stay... But... was it the _only_ reason?

"You're a very kind person, Shishoo. I never meant to take advantage of you and your hospitality." Tetsuhiro smiled even though he still sounded sad.

"I still haven't found someplace to go, so I thought that you won't kick me out even if you... h-hated... me." Tetsuhiro took a breath to calm himself.

"That's why I have to leave." His decision sounded final.

"But I told you, you can stay! And I don't hate you." Souichi was getting irritated. They were nearly talking in circles.

"Shishoo, this is _your_ home... Not mine. So I don't want you to leave it because of me." Tetsuhiro hung his head, closing his eyes. Now that was different. That surprised the priest.

"What the hell are you talking about? Why would I leave my own house?" Souichi stared quizzically at the hunched form before him. He looked defeated, somehow. He didn't seem that tall anymore.

"Because... If-... If you hated me, were mad at me... If you couldn't stand being around me, you might leave..." Green glossy eyes looked back at him.

"I told you already, if that were the case, I would have thrown you out by now! And why would I leave? Who would even do such a thing, anyway?"

"_They _did!" The horned-man hands balled into fists.

"They left. It was their house." Tetsuhiro spoke gently now. He gazed up at the wood-panelled house.

"And they left me all the same..." He closed his eyes, but a few tears leaked out all the same.

"What are talking about?" Souichi's voice was calm and gentle, almost unsure about wanting an answer.

"My parents... My adoptive parents." Tetsuhiro sighed and looked away. He brushed away the errand tears, and then subconsciously rubbed at his left arm. "When I was sixteen... I-... I didn't leave... It was them that left me."

'What?' Souichi's brows furrowed in confusion, but remained silent, not wanting to interrupt the taller man.

"We lived at this one house. It wasn't much... My mom loved that house." A small smile appeared on his lips, but was gone as soon as it came.

"They said they were renovating. They had moved a few small items – keepsakes – into a warehouse while they were going to work on the house." His tail swished behind him. It always did that when he got nervous.

"At that time, my horns and tail were hurting. I guess they were undergoing some sort of growth spurt." He grabbed his tail and held it within his hands, stopping it from twitching nervously.

"On the eve of my birthday, my parents gave me a sleeping pill to help me have a descent night's sleep away from the aching pain. The next morning, the house was incredibly quiet. A lot more stuff was missing, so I thought my parents had worked most of the night, and were now sleeping in." Tetsuhiro took a few seconds to gather his thoughts, still holding onto his tail for comfort.

'Oh no.' Souichi didn't want to hear where this story was going.

"I went to the kitchen to make some breakfast... for all of us... But most of the cookware was gone... When I went up to my parents' room... i-it was empty... T-they weren't t-there... A-... all of their c-... clothes..." Tetsuhiro took a shuttering breath. He took a moment to gain some control over his emotions. He furiously whipped at his eyes and tried again, a little calmer now.

"Everything was gone. Searching around the house, I didn't find them, yet a lot of their stuff had disappeared, too. All of the big things, like the couches and chairs, desks and tables, and all of the large appliances were still there. But looking outside, I saw that their vehicles were gone." After gaining a bit of courage, he looked into patient hazel orbs.

"They had left me." Tears were forming at his eyes, again. Yet, he still managed to sound coherent.

"But what really hurt was when I found the photo albums. They had taken some with them... But left behind all of those that were about me..." Tears rolled down his face, yet he didn't seem to care.

"Not only did they leave me behind, they were leaving every single memory of me... They were denying my very existence, forgetting I was ever a part of their lives." He fiddled with his tail a bit more, staring at a patch of grass at his feet.

"That's why-... If I leave now while you may still cherish some of the moments we spent together, maybe... Maybe you won't forget about me." He gazed up into hazel eyes, once more.

"Maybe you'll-... re-... remember... me." He choked out a sob. Eyes shut; he brought up his right hand to his mouth.

That's when Souichi saw him spin on his heels, about to leave. Reaching out, he caught Tetsuhiro's left hand into his right.

Without thinking things through, the blond simply acted. He reached up with his left hand. It cupped behind the other's head, threading through dark strands. Guiding the taller man's head down, he brought it to his left shoulder, while his right hand kept a firm hold on the slightly larger hand, entwining their fingers.

Tetsuhiro couldn't take it anymore. The dam broke. He cried in earnest against that shoulder. He encircled his spare arm around the blonde's torso, digging his fingers into the shirt at Souichi's back.

"Sshhhhh... It's ok." Souichi felt a little awkward. He didn't know what to say. Tetsuhiro kept crying on his shoulder, holding onto him in such desperation.

"Don't cry. It's ok..." Souichi felt his chest tighten in the face of the other's pure sorrow. He now despised these people whom he had never met. Who could ever do such a thing to their child? It made the blond appreciate his family so much more.

"... I won't leave, so don't cry anymore, ok?" With a soft horn against his cheek, Souichi massaged the other's head, entwining his fingers through silky soft hair.

After a few minutes standing in this somewhat odd embrace, Tetsuhiro was finally able to regain some sort of control over his tears. Stepping back, Tetsuhiro kept their hands entwined together.

"I'm so sorry, Shishoo. I never meant to betray your trust like that. I never meant to hurt you." His smile was gentle and happy, yet his eyes betrayed his sadness. Souichi looked away.

"... Fine."

"Huh?"

"If you've realized that it was wrong and that you truly regret your actions... It's fine." Souichi could feel his cheeks heat up. He made sure to keep his gaze directed to his side, grateful for the length of his bangs, successfully hiding his face from view. He wasn't good at these things.

"You're... _not_ mad?" Tetsuhiro sounded a little surprised. The priest finally looked up into those hopeful green eyes, and then averted his gaze just as quickly.

"No... I'm not mad."

"And... You don't hate me?" Why was it so hard to understand? Did this idiot simply like to hear Souichi talk? How many times did he have to repeat himself? The priest felt a hand brush his left cheek. At that, he backed out of the other's reach, letting go of the other hand.

"Of course not! I never said I did." Irritation and anger tinted the tone in his voice. He was losing his patience.

"But... I need to know that you truly don't hate me. If you ever do... I don't-..." Tetsuhiro couldn't finish his sentence. Everything about him, his stance, his facial expression, the look in his eyes, screamed that he was sorry.

"Just forget it." Souichi was looking away again. He didn't know why, but it hurt somewhere deep in his chest to see the other like this. Tetsuhiro gazed at the silvery blond strands, trying to get a better look at those hazel eyes. An eyebrow angled up as he cocked his head. He looked curiously confused.

"Forget what?"

"Forget _it_ ever happened." At first he seemed even more confused. And then understanding settled in. He took a step forward, and touched Souichi's face with one hand, angling it up a little so that they were face to face.

"I can't do that, Shishoo."

"And why the hell not?" Souichi swat at the hand.

"Because I love you. That won't ever change. I'll keep on loving you as long as I stay around you. So I can't forget, about any of it." The taller man didn't try to touch him, but neither of them backed away. Tetsuhiro remained within the blonde's comfort zone.

"Then what do you propose we do?" Souichi watched his friend's every move. He was ready to punch that idiot if he so much touched him the wrong way.

"I'll always love you. I'll always want to kiss you and hold you. But I can promise that I'll try my best to not touch you. That is, unless if you want me too." A small sly smile appeared on Tetsuhiro's lips. The priest eyes narrowed.

"If you truly don't hate me, I promise to not be a bother to you, if you'd let me stay around you for a little while longer." That smile softened as Tetsuhiro gazed longingly into guarded hazel eyes.

"... Fine. You can stay."

"Eh?" Tetsuhiro apparently either didn't expect that response, or didn't hear him. The blond sighed.

"I said that's fine. As long as you promise to behave and to never do that again... you can stay." Souichi was starting to wonder what he was getting himself into.

"Do you really mean it? Can I... Can I really stay?" Somehow, that desperately hopeful look washed all of his doubts away.

"What the hell? Of course. I'm not going to kick you out. Stay until you actually have someplace to go."

"Thank you so much!" Leaning in, Tetsuhiro caught the other in a warm bear hug. Souichi's heart-rate sped up considerably. Somehow, he felt fluttering in his abdomen. Now this was much got too close for comfort.

"Wha-! Get the hell _off_ me! What did I just tell you?" Thinking back to it, all those random hugs now made sense. Souichi shoved the other away. Tetsuhiro reluctantly released his hold.

"Ah! So sorry... I'm just so happy! " Joy and happiness danced in those green eyes. He was ecstatic.

"Thank you for letting me stay." Finally. Souichi got to see a genuine smile, full of hope, spread across his friend's face. 

That night, Souichi lay gratefully still on his bed. He was glad that the day had finally ended. It seemed to have taken forever for the sun to rise and set, leaving darkness in its wake.

By no means had it been a bad day. Tetsuhiro had apologized for his behaviour. They were able to resume their friendship, albeit the fact that it was bound to be a little different. And that was why the priest had been so nervous and high strung all day. Even though Tetsuhiro had promised to not be a bother, he had ended up watching his roommate's every move whenever he had been within touching distance. He couldn't help but be self-conscious around the man, and expect the worst. It was exhausting. If he had discovered anything from his tailed friend in the past month, it was that he was much too unpredictable.

Up until now, Souichi had managed to withstand all of the random surprise hugs the tall man had given him, but if he started to kiss him out of the blue, the priest didn't think he'd be able to deal with it. However, Tetsuhiro did nothing. He was nothing but smiles all day, completely content and just as bubbly as ever.

Now that the night has come, Souichi felt relieved, happy to be secluded in his own bedroom, having his own space. He was exhausted; and so was Tetsuhiro for that matter. He had retired to bed quite some time before him.

Already in his pyjamas, Souichi in fact had some paperwork to do before he could allow himself to go to sleep. He went to his desk, sitting down on his comfortable chair, to do a bit of work. Soon after, though, he heard something. It sounded like... Tetsuhiro's voice.

He stilled his movements, cocking his head to the side so that an ear was directed to the door, listening intently.

He heard it again. It definitely was Tetsuhiro's voice, but he couldn't make out any words. It kind of sounded like... a moan. Souichi blushed.

'What the hell is he _doing_?!' He really didn't want the answer to that question if it was what he thought it was. More muffled sounds drifted through the crack in his doorway. Tetsuhiro was shifting in his bed.

'Shit!' Souichi couldn't stop himself from listening now. Another moan.

There was no way in hell he was going to be able to concentrate now. He didn't want to let his mind run wild. The last thing he needed was that mental image. With a light blush across his cheeks, Souichi stood up from his desk. He gingerly stepped into the hall, and crept to the room next to his.

As he approached the other's room, he could detect something unexpected in the tone of his voice. It was strained, sounding like he was in pain. Sliding the door aside, the blond stepped in and approached the bed.

Tetsuhiro was lying there, covered in sweat, his limbs tangled in his sheets. He seemed restless.

"Tetsuhiro?" There was no response. The man was sleeping. His chest rose and fell in rapid successions. He was breathing hard. Another moan. His brow furrowed as if he was in pain. Confused, Souichi's brow furrowed.

'What the hell is going on?'

**A/N****: Another chapter done! And in less than a week! What is this world coming to? lol! :P**

**I hope you enjoyed it! The story will be going somewhere, I promise! **

**Tagicheartbreak****:**

**Yah… I kind of know what you mean. It made sense when I saw it unfold in my mind. But when I re-read the chapter, it wasn't quite as I saw it. So I went back and fixed it by adding a few more details. I think it makes more sense now. Trying to write at 2 or 3 am doesn't always work. lol! :P**

**Beth****:**

**I'm so glad you liked it! And thank you sooo much! I never considered myself much of a writer, but I really do enjoy it! And that's so cool! It is amazing how the world can now be connected. It's amazing! Yet again, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! :)**

**Gene****:**

**Thanks! I'm glad you liked it! :D Now you know the outcome of that little fight... but there's a new turn of events. I hope you liked this chapter. Enjoy! :3 **

**Thanks again everyone! Hope to hear from you soon!**

**By the way, Happy Summer Solstice Day!**

**Until next time!**

**-Getsuei ;)**


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